RIYADH – The Ministry of Haj and Umrah has warned citizens and expatriates against dealing with companies not listed in the e-portal for domestic pilgrims in the ministry's website: https://localhaj.haj.gov.sa. The ministry has urged the citizens and expatriates not to be lured by deceptive advertisements on social media. They should report immediately any office, company or establishment claiming to provide services to domestic pilgrims outside the e-portal for domestic pilgrims, Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday. Deputy Minister of Haj and Umrah Dr. Abdulfattah Bin Sulaiman Mashaat said the monitoring and follow-up committees in the ministry have detected individual cases of unlicensed Haj firms publishing advertisements via the social media. Reports have been filed at the security authorities for necessary measures and penalties against such fake Haj firms. Dr. Mashaat reaffirmed that the e-portal for domestic pilgrims, allotted by the Ministry of Haj and Umrah to receive applications o citizens and expatriates, is the only means for booking the services of licensed companies and establishments for domestic pilgrims. He said that the domestic pilgrims' e-portal aims to facilitate procedures for pilgrims, achieve transparency between the two parties to the contract, and supervise and monitor the sale of programs on the e-portal. Mashaat stressed that the e-portal for domestic pilgrims will provide safe and secure means for concluding a contract with one of the companies or establishments licensed by the ministry. He said that the e-portal website for domestic pilgrims to register in is the sole and only method for booking this year. Any registration outside this e-portal is provided by bogus and unlicensed companies.
